Odell Beckham can taste it.
During his three years in the league, the Giants wide receiver has won accolades, earned sponsorships and reeled in impossible catches. But one goal so far eludes him: the postseason.
Beckham's Giants are currently 6-3 with two games upcoming against teams with a combined 2-17 record. With Big Blue thisclose to its first .500 season since 2012, the young wideout is starting to dream of games in January. But as Beckham said on Friday, it's not up to him whether he gets there or not. Instead, Odell is putting his trust in his veteran quarterback, who has some experience with playoff football.
"I tell (Eli Manning) all the time when we're on the field: 'Just lead us. Take me there,'" Beckham detailed, per the New York Post. "He's been there.
"I love where we're at right now. I can feel it already -- thinking about being in those moments. You work for those big moments. What else are you playing for? I love those moments. That's what you work for."
A wide receiver is nothing but an athlete away from the action if not for his quarterback getting him the ball. But does this Giants offense still ride on the arm of Eli, or in spite of it? New York's running game is historically bad, but Manning isn't having his best season either. Eli boasts his highest interception rate (2.9) since his 27-pick 2013 season, continues to make puzzling throws and has been mostly relegated to throwing short routes to Beckham, Sterling Shepard and Will Tye and letting them do the work.
If anyone should shoulder the responsibility of an approaching Giants playoff run, it is Beckham, New York's most dangerous weapon and a positional mismatch against opposing secondaries every week. And if Odell isn't up to the challenge, he can always rely on Landon Collins and the Giants' "Super Bowl defense." Either way, Beckham says he'll be ready for the pressure and spotlight of playoff football, if and when it comes.
"Right now, we have a great opportunity in front of us," Beckham added. "I've talked to Von (Miller) and I've talked to Eli and (Victor) Cruz about the Super Bowl and they're like, 'The feeling is just indescribable.' I'm trying to join the party."
